MATCH REPORT

Wolves Edge Derby Clash

Wolves 1 (King-og 33)

Birmingham City 0

Whilst only an own goal from Birmingham City striker Marlon King separated the sides at the end, Wolves finished the game as worthy winners against their near neighbours following a dominant second half display.

Tongo Doumbia returned to the starting line-up for the injured Dave Edwards as the only change to Ståle Solbakken’s side.

Blues enjoyed the best of the early moments and a loose pass from Bakary Sako presented Paul Caddis with a chance from20-yards that forced a flying save from Carl Ikeme.

For Wolves, the first effort of note came in the 15th minute when Björn Sigurdarson was narrowly wide with a near post flick after Sako had fired a low cross into the box.

From a Nathan Redmond free-kick, Ikeme had to touch over Roger Johnson’s bouncing headed clearance and then the keeper clung onto a fierce cross-shot from Robert Hall.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake went down in the box as he was challenged by Curtis Davies but the referee quickly waved away any penalty appeals.

Wolves took the lead in the 32nd minute after Steven Caldwell had fouled Ebanks-Blake just a foot to the right of the Blues box and a yard in from the by-line. Sako put everything behind a low free-kick and King, stationed at the near post, volleyed the ball in to his own net as he attempted to clear.

Johnson was booked for a late challenge on Wade Elliott outside the home area. King’s free-kick struck the wall and trickled behind for a corner.

Paul Robinson was shown the yellow card for fouling Ebanks-Blake and Sako’s free-kick was headed over by Sigurdarson.

Half-Time: Wolves 1 Blues 0

Four minutes after the resumption a Sako corner was headed on by Kevin Doyle and Christophe Berra, running in at the far post, shot high and wide whilst, for Blues, interval substitute Ravel Morrison shot straight at Ikeme from 22-yards.

Wanderers were starting to get on top and a succession of attacks forced the visitors back. Doyle ran through two challenges before firing narrowly wide and then, from Sako’s low centre, Ebanks-Blake saw his shot on the turn bounce clear off a defender.

Then it was the turn of Sako to weave a path into the City box and he was close with a rising drive that just cleared the near angle.

After 61 minutes, from yet another Sako corner, Doyle’s header went behind off the top of the bar. Doyle was then wide after a low Sako cross was half cleared into his path.

It took a tremendous reflex save from Blues keeper Jack Butland to keep out Sigurdarson’s near post glancing header from Sako’s 70th minute corner, before Wolves made a change with David Davis replacing Doumbia.

A clever piece of interplay between Stephen Ward and Sako resulted in a cross that was deflected away to the edge of the box where Kevin Foley ran in and lifted a shot high over the bar.

Two minutes from the end, Doyle’s through ball put Sigurdarson through on goal but the Icelandic striker poked the ball wide as Caldwell tackled just as he got his shot in.